Piano Sonata no 39
by Victory of the People
Summary: A written 'sonata' on the art of simply stepping up and forgetting oneself.


**A sonata is traditionally in three or four parts, and often represents the changing of something, like the seasons or even the progression of life. Beethoven has written 38. This is the 39th, simply about 'joining in'. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own the universe or characters of Artemis Fowl, all the rights go to Eoin Colfer.**

Piano Sonata no. 39

* * *

_~I was just guessing at numbers and figures_

_~Pulling the puzzles apart_

* * *

I. _Adagietto malinconico_

A single, empty note, lonely in the air. No other sounds joined it, and it died alone, withering in the silence.

Artemis sat at the grand piano, black as ebony, sleek as the modern age, staring blankly at the ivory. He sighed. Running a hand forlornly through his raven hair (no longer so orderly, hm?), the young man collapsed on himself. There was nothing left; nothing to do, nothing to play, no one to talk to. He bowed his head in defeat, and silent as the beautiful piano, left the room.

* * *

_~Questions of science, science and progress_

_~Do not speak as loud as my heart_

* * *

The Fowl family didn't notice the change in the eldest son; _did they know him at all?_

Of course they didn't. Angeline was mad for the duration of his evolution, Artemis Fowl I was missing, and the twins wouldn't know anyway, he had only been in their lives for a few years. No one in his family really knew Artemis II. They were aware of the damage they had caused him (with the obvious exception of the twins), but had they ever fully realized that it still hurt? That new hurt was always going to come? And that their son didn't trust them to help?

Butler noticed. He had always been there. But what plagued his charge this time, he could do nothing against, except stay there. Maybe companionship would help.

But the giant man knew that it wasn't just friends Artemis craved, it was something more.

* * *

_~Oh, take me back to the start_

* * *

"Artemis?"

The boy in the passenger seat looked up at his protector, absentmindedly picking at his St. Bartleby's blazer. "Hm?"

"You know that to make friends, you need to talk to people." The man eyed his charge carefully, waiting on his reaction.

Artemis turned back forward with a sigh. "I know, old friend."

"And that means that you'll try?"

"I am trying!" he snapped. "I just…"

Butler smiled, if only on the inside. Maybe people couldn't tell, but his charge was no different from any other sixteen year old. He was just as unsure. "I know it's hard, Artemis. But you have to keep trying."

* * *

_~No one ever said it was easy_

_~Oh, it's such a shame for us to part_

_~No one ever said it was easy_

_~No one ever said it would be this hard_

_~Oh take me back to the start._

* * *

_one measure rest~ _

* * *

_~Have you ever thrown a fistful of glitter in the air?_

_ ~Have you ever looked fear in the face and said, 'I just don't care'?_

* * *

II. _Andante esitante (precipitando)_

Artemis stared at the soft shadows cushioning his ceiling from his canopy bed. At least, it used to be a canopy bed; years back, right after getting back from the time tunnel, he had ripped the cloth shielding his covers off. Why? He felt like it was suffocating him. Artemis had never been claustrophobic, but right then, with all the emotions running wild in him, he had just felt so busy inside. The canopy was smothering him.

Now he almost regretted it. It would've been nice to have something between him and the ceiling, like a safety net. Like a duvet. Comfort and warmth. Now he just felt too open and bare. Despite himself, he huddled into himself, drawing in heat that wasn't needed.

His thoughts shook off the poetry and circled back to his original dilemma. His social life. Normally he wouldn't have cared much about what Butler had said, but for some reason this was different. Maybe _he_ was different now. _I haven't done _anything _yet. Nothing like this. I haven't really lived where it counted. I've done things that most people dream of, but I have done nothing of what other people take for granted._

_Damn it_, he scowled. Artemis was lonely.

* * *

_~Your whole life waiting on the ring to prove you're not alone?_

_~Have you ever looked fear in the face and said, 'I just don't care'?_

* * *

The tide, horde, stampede, of excitable teens overwhelmed the halls, and trampled everyone and everything in their way to the outside. Artemis was near the back, trying to retain his position. His book was back in Mr. Kellan's room, but he couldn't reach it in this mad rush for the door. Before he could break free, however, he felt a hand grip the shoulder of his blazer.

"Hey, Art. You're going to Pete's tonight, right?"

The boy relaxed. "Hello, Paul. No, I don't think I'll be going this time."

The older teen snickered. "Oh, come on Art! You never go!" Paul was the only one who would hang out with the genius. He was just a year older than Artemis, but for all one could tell from looks, he could be three. His blonde hair was carefully mussed and gelled, and the daring green eyes he sported drew in girls like nothing else. He wasn't dumb, but he certainly wasn't a genius. His talent was acting like one. Cocky, arrogant, sharp as a knife, no one quite knew why a guy like Paul would even talk to the anti-social snob. No one was more shocked than the aforementioned anti-social snob.

"I think there's a reason I never go."

"Sure, all the girls are frickin' petrified of you," Paul laughed. "But come on! What else are you gonna do? Hide away in that computerized den of yours for the entire weekend?"

_I haven't done _anything_ yet._

Artemis bit his lip. He allowed himself a mental 'um' (because of course it wouldn't do to show indecision in public) before saying, "You know what, I think I will go. I'll meet you there." And he hurried away from his vaguely shocked friend before his courage could desert him.

* * *

_~You whole life waiting on the ring to prove you're not alone_

_ ~Have you ever been touched so gently you had to cry?_

* * *

"You're what?"

"I'm going to a party tonight, Butler. I thought this was what you were talking about the other day."

"Yes, but I never thought it would go this far this soon."

Artemis grinned, a habit becoming more and more natural every time he tried it. "Defying expectations is what I do best, Butler."

"And I thought I had seen it all…" the giant man shook his head in wonder. "Where is this party?"

"At Peter Miller's house."

Butler narrowed his eyes. "Is this Peter respectable?"

"I guess..."

"Are his parents home?"

"I don't-"

"Will there be girls there?"

"Butler!"

"Is there going to be alcohol?"

"How should I-"

"Will there be-"

Artemis interrupted irritably. "Butler! Calm down! You're acting like an old mother!"

The huge man looked down. He wouldn't tell Artemis that he had grown used to being the boy's surrogate parents, in those years when one was missing and the other was talking to her dead father in her wedding gown. In his personal opinion, one could never grow out of needing an 'old mother'.

"I'll drive you in the Bentley."

Artemis shook his head. "No, I think I'll drive _myself_ in the Bentley. I'm sixteen now, you know, and can _legally_ drive myself to parties. Besides, it wouldn't do to be _dropped off_," he sniffed.

Butler had to hold in protests. What if there was a drunk on the streets? What if Artemis hit something in the dark on the way home? What if he was hijacked? What if he was kidnapped? Anything could happen! And that was just _before _and_ after _the party, don't get him started on the during!

"I'm sixteen years old, Butler. Don't you trust me?"

"Fine," he grunted noncommittally. He would take the other car and follow behind.

* * *

_~It's only half past the point of oblivion_

_~The hour glass on the table_

_~The walk before the run_

_~The breath before the kiss_

_~The fear before the flames_

_~Have you ever felt this way?_

* * *

_quarter rest~_

* * *

III. _Allegretto cantabile_ _(a piacere)_

All he took was a single gulp and a quick brush up of his scrounged up 'normal' clothes before knocking on the door and being admitted in by a surprised looking girl, one of his classmate's girls probably. Apparently even she knew of him, if only in passing comments. Artemis stepped past her into the foyer.

The music was loud, almost disconcertingly so, pounding relentlessly at his eardrums and reverberating deep in his chest. There were tightly packed bodies swaying and bouncing to it in the next room over, feeding off the pure energy of the place and the people. On the edges of this room and sprawling throughout the rest of the house was everyone else, eating and talking and laughing and drinking and kissing. It should have been overwhelming.

But for some reason unbeknown to him, Artemis welcomed it. Now he was just one of many, for once, he wasn't special at all.

* * *

_~Life's too short to even care at all, oh_

_~I'm comin' up now, comin' up now out of the blue, oh _

* * *

In all this, not a single person to talk to. Where was Paul, to witness his heroics?

Artemis shrugged it off to himself. That wasn't the point. Considering the dancing, he sat to watch for a little while. The plush couch was taken by a couple sprawled across its entirety, so he took a small fold-up propped up against the wall. The colors and feel of this were rather pleasing.

Watching the people, the everyone, swaying together, made a familiar feeling creep up in his chest. It was the same feeling he had almost everyday in his youth. Every time he sat at recess, or later break, and watched the other kids play. Once, a very long time ago, he had tried to join. The other children had just looked at him and said, 'We already have enough people.' He had never tried to play with them again.

And now it was the same. Only this time, it was him who was preventing himself from joining. He tried to bring himself to stand up and dance, but couldn't quite manage it. He wasn't brave enough. _How funny_, he thought. _To not be brave enough to dance at a party and think that battling trolls and maniacal pixies all in a day's work. _No matter how many times he told himself this, he remained seated.

* * *

_~If I could find a way to see this straight_

_~I'd run away_

_~To some fortune I should have found by now_

_~I'm waiting for this cough syrup to come down, come down_

* * *

_'You know, to make friends you need to talk to people.'_

_ 'I know."_

_ 'So that means you'll try?'_

Well, there were plenty of people, all he had to do was say hello. Simple. So Artemis chose the first person his eyes really settled on; a girl maybe about his age, with blonde hair and a vaguely uncomfortable expression on. He gave her a smile. And a simple hello.

The out-of-depth expression lifted, replaced by her own slightly shy smile. "Hey," she said back. That was all their intimate conversation was, as she was drawn into the crowd. But it left a residual smile on his face all the same. And if he could see her, he would notice a smile on her face too.

* * *

_(crescendo)_

_~And so I run now to things they said could restore me_

_~Restore life the way it should be_

_~I'm waiting for this cough syrup to come down_

* * *

And with that he found a way to rise and join the pulsating crowd. He let himself be lifted with them in time, and let himself be pushed around, let himself be drawn down. And by miracle or chance, by the end of the dance, he found himself next to the girl again, and this time they smiled at each other instantly, and the deep colors of the dim room were chaos and so was everything else, and for a second, he forgot he was Artemis Fowl II, for he was just a kid, one kid in many.

* * *

_(ff)_

_~One more spoon of cough syrup now, oh_

_~One more spoon of cough syrup now, oh_

* * *

_Fin._

__**The songs used were (in order), The Scientist by Coldplay, Glitter in the Air by P!nk, and Cough Syrup by Young the Giant.**


End file.
